A picture of the nation: the statistician's report on the 2006 census

Source: ABS
"The report presents statistical analysis and commentary on the results of the 2006 Census. The overviews and articles are organised into eight chapters, representing the following broad areas of interest: population; cultural diversity; living arrangements; community; education; work; economic resources; and housing. Commentary focuses on the ability of the census to provide information on small population groups and small geographic areas."

2008 State of the Future report: executive summary

Source: Millennium Project
"This “Report Card on the Future” distills the collective intelligence of over 2,500 leading scientists, futurists, scholars, & policy advisors who work for governments, corporations, non-governmental organizations, universities, and international organizations."

Australia 2020 Summit: initial report

The Initial Report from the 2020 Summit to the Prime Minister, sets out the key results of discussion by 1000 Australians over the weekend of 19 and 20 April in Canberra. The Report includes results across the 10 streams of the Summit, including ambitions, priority themes and top ideas from each stream.

2020 Summit background papers

"These papers, prepared by the steering committee of the Australia 2020 Summit in consultation with ministerial co-chairs and their departments, explore the themes set out in each stream and provide background information on some of the major areas to be discussed at the Summit. They cover topics ranging from climate change to the future of our cities, from Australia’s ageing population to family carer responsibilities, from skills shortages to the intergenerational change in rural and regional communities."

Year book Australia 2008

Year Book Australia is the principal reference work produced by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. It provides a comprehensive statistical picture of the economy and social conditions in Australia. In addition, it contains descriptive matter dealing with Australia’s geography and climate, its population, the environment, government, international relations, defence, education, health, income and and welfare, housing and crime and justice.

The coming famine

"Barring nuclear wars, pandemics and cosmic accidents, there will be about 9.3 billion people living in the world of 2050 - but they will eat as much food as 13 billion people at today’s nutritional levels. Global food production in an overpopulated, affluent and resource-scarce world will be the scientific challenge of the era."

Water, population and Australia's urban future: proceedings of the 2007 Fenner Conference on the Environment